Hong Kong fire: What is bamboo scaffolding? The centuries-old technique under scrutiny as scores killed | World News

Firefighters work to extinguish a fire which broke out Wednesday at Wang Fuk Court, a residential estate in the Tai Po drict of Hong Kong’s New Territories, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

Wang Fuk Court structure fire in Hong Kong: A massive fire is ravaging a residential block in Hong Kong’s Tai Po drict. So far, the fire is known to have claimed at least 75 lives and injured many others. The fire broke out at the Wang Fuk Court residential complex on Wednesday, which is home to thousands of families.

The complex had been under renovation for at least a year and was surrounded an ancient construction material called bamboo scaffolding, a material valued for its flexibility, low cost and sustainability.

Bamboo scaffolding dates back at least 2,000 years to the Han dynasty, and has been used to build some of Hong Kong’s tallest and most recognisable skyscrapers, including Norman Foster’s HSBC headquarters.

A firefighter works to extinguish a fire that broke out at Wang Fuk Court, a residential estate in the Tai Po drict of Hong Kong’s New Territories, Thursday, Nov. 27 2025. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

What is bamboo scaffolding?

Bamboo scaffolding is a centuries-old construction technique built using interlocking bamboo poles tied together with nylon strips. Lightweight, flexible and surprisingly strong, it allows workers to assemble structures rapidly along the sides of Hong Kong’s high-rises. Beyond construction sites, bamboo scaffolding has traditionally been used to erect temporary Cantonese opera theatres and festival stages.

Every bamboo scaffolding project in Hong Kong must follow detailed guidelines under a government code specifying pole thickness, spacing, nylon strip strength and the use of fire-retardant nets and tarps. While the code is not a law, non-compliance can carry consequences in criminal proceedings.

The death toll in the Hong Kong fire has risen to 66 so far (Photo: AP).

This year, debate over the future of bamboo scaffolding has intensified. In March, Hong Kong’s Development Bureau announced that half of all new public building projects would be required to use metal scaffolding to “better protect workers” and align with modern standards used in other advanced cities. From January 2018 to August 2025, 24 deaths were linked to bamboo scaffolding, according to the Labour Department.

Although the policy focused on worker safety rather than fire hazards, concerns resurfaced in October when another scaffold-covered building caught fire in Central. Officials said they found no structural dangers but launched an investigation into the quality of construction materials used.

The cause of Tai Po drict fire?

The cause of the Tai Po drict fire remains unclear, but authorities have arrested three people from a construction company accused of “gross negligence.” At the time of the blaze, the complex was under renovation, enclosed in bamboo scaffolding and wrapped in safety netting.

“Bamboo is definitely a flammable material. This is a very dry season in Hong Kong, so the likelihood of ignition is very high. Once it’s ignited, the fire spread will be super-fast,” CNN quoted Xinyan Huang, associate professor at Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering as saying.

The bamboo poles are vertically stacked, he said, effectively creating a rapid upward pathway for flames.